Car accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Your entire world can change in seconds if you sustain severe injuries. If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to recover financial compensation for your medical bills, time off work, pain and suffering, and more. Pursuing a claim can be difficult. You don’t need to go through the process alone. Instead, speak to an experienced lawyer at Palmer | Lopez today.
Our legal team has more than 35 years of combined experience helping clients just like you get the compensation they deserve after a Tampa automobile accident.
Common Car Accident Injuries
Most injuries in a car accident involve the neck, back, or head. Some of the most common injuries we see in Florida car accidents include:
- Whiplash: Sudden or violent jerking of the neck can result in serious neck injuries. Whiplash is most common in rear-end accidents.
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A traumatic brain injury can range from a mild concussion to a serious coma. Victims can have long-lasting physical, emotional, and psychological scars. Medical treatment for TBIs can be very costly, leaving victims and their families struggling to cover the bills.
- Spinal Injuries: Trauma from a car accident can leave a victim with spinal injuries, including spinal cord damage, herniated discs, and more.
- Broken Bones: The accident’s blunt force can cause broken bones that take months or longer to heal.
What Can I Be Compensated For?
The degree of compensation that you can expect is completely dependant upon your damages and the severity of those damages, in particular your medical costs and pain and suffering. We can assist you in pursuing the following:
● Medical costs;
● Property damage;
● Pain and suffering;
● Emotional distress;
● Lost wages;
● Lost earning ability;
● Travel expenses to medical appointments; and
● Ongoing medical costs, infrastructure, and equipment, such as a wheelchair ramp for your home, for example.
If the collision took the life of your loved one, you can pursue the following compensations:
● Medical costs;
● Pain and suffering of the victim;
● Emotional distress;
● Lost future earnings;
● Loss of consortium;
● Property damage; and
● Funeral and burial expenses.
Investigating the Cause of the Crash and Holding the Other Party Accountable
The top causes of car crashes are distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, and reckless driving. In many crashes, the cause is obvious and the police report clearly shows the other party fully at fault. However, that is not always the case, and even if it seems clear cut, the other party’s insurance company will likely put up a fight to reduce their liability. Our attorneys hold the other side accountable by doing our own investigations when necessary, using expert witnesses, and hiring crash investigators. Most importantly, you need an attorney who has the experience and knowledge necessary to go up against the other party’s insurance adjusters, who have significant time and resources on their hands to delay, drag their feet, and point the blame back at you or someone else,
Common Causes of Automobile Accidents in Florida
The term accidents is widely used, but the truth is that automobile accidents aren’t accidents at all. Usually, someone is at fault due to their negligence, intentional actions, or reckless behavior. Some of the most common causes of automobile collisions include:
- Distracted Driving: Drivers can be distracted by their phones or any number of things in the vehicle. Perhaps they were changing the radio station, putting on makeup, eating food, talking to someone in the rear passenger seat, or looking at the GPS.
- Driver Error: Driver error often involves a traffic violation such as speeding, running a red light or stop sign, etc.
- Weather: Poor weather conditions can contribute to auto collisions as well. Conditions such as rain, snow, wind, or fog can reduce your visibility and lead to a crash.
- Mechanical Problems: Accidents can also be caused by defective vehicle parts, such as faulty brakes or a bad tire.
Why Hire a Tampa Automobile Accident Attorney?
Hiring a Tampa automobile accident attorney is necessary in most cases. You need someone who is on your side and can protect your rights. Pursuing a claim can be a complicated process, especially if your injuries are severe. Your attorney will handle all communication and negotiations with the insurance company, so you don’t have to worry.
You only have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit in an automobile accident case. If you miss the filing deadline, the court could throw your entire case out. That means the at-fault driver’s insurance doesn’t have to pay you anything, even if they already offered you money just days before.
To learn more about how a Tampa automobile accident attorney can help, contact Palmer | Lopez at 813-967-8505 today to schedule an initial consultation.
